


Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

by Beezarre (Dibee)



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F, Holby City Secret Valentine 2018, Kitten-Induced Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 07:52:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13677441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dibee/pseuds/Beezarre
Summary: Twinkle is black, fluffy, and sharp clawed. Bernie is... clearly not a cat person. Still, Serena is intent on having the two cohabit peacefully. They’re only supposed to care for the kitten for a few days, after all...





	Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kayryn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kayryn/gifts).



> For my Holby City Secret Valentine @imagebender / Kayryn ♥
> 
> This is 0.1% Hurt 99.9% Comfort, and 100% Fluff!

"Should I be worried?" Serena's voice gently pierced through Bernie's mind before she registered her words and the playfulness of her smile. Bernie frowned, stretched, and frowned a little bit more. She could have sworn her jumper hadn't been that soft when she had fallen asleep.

 

Looking down, she spotted the source of Serena's amusement. The small kitten that had tucked herself under her chin was slowly starting to rouse, stretching not unlike she had, fiercely staking her claim on Bernie by way of small but very sharp claws.

 

"Ouch!" Bernie tried to remove the furry intruder but only managed to make things worse, what claws weren't deep in her skin by now were locked in the fabric of her sweater. "Not funny!" Serena was laughing at her now, with _that_ look in her eyes, a look that would normally lead to less passive activities than a nap if it wasn't for the hairy ball of doom.

 

♥

 

Elinor had arrived a couple days previously, leaving the small, supposedly harmless feline in their care until she could take her to her new human, a friend she meant to visit a few days later. Jason, while not allergic, had an intense mistrust in felines, something Bernie could understand full well, and had chosen to spend some time at Alan's. Bernie and Serena had the house to themselves... Well, the house and Twinkle.

 

Twinkle was small, looked like someone had given a tail to a cloud of particularly dark smoke, and had the constant air of someone plotting world domination. She seemed amiable enough at first, had not peed on anything she shouldn't have, had kept her claws to herself, and had let the two humans do their thing, content to sit on the couch and watch over her new domain.

 

The couch was her throne, and while she welcomed Serena's company, even going as far as to let Serena pet her, she was as wary of Bernie as Bernie was of her. It was a battle of wills, Bernie's attempts to stare down the in-furry-ating creature proving inconclusive.

 

"It's only for a few days." Elinor's words to Serena had sounded earnest, but a few days could be a very long time when trapped with an unpredictable being of incommensurable power. Serena and Twinkle would learn it at their expense.

 

♥

 

Leaving Twinkle alone downstairs the first night had been a calculated risk. She had found a space she liked, hadn't showed any interest in anything she shouldn't have, and had everything she needed within reach. What could possibly go wrong?

 

Well, a lot could have gone wrong, but it hadn't. Bernie had been the first to wake up, had tiptoed downstairs to start the coffee, and had found Twinkle sitting on the kitchen table. She had answered to Twinkle's meowed greeting by a vague onomatopoeia, not bothering to try and get the cat off the table, knowing she'd be back on it the second she would turn her back.

 

By the time she took another look Twinkle was gone. The kitten was small, but fast. Bernie had barely had the time to catch the mugs before they tipped over as Twinkle had tried to 'innocently' lean against them. This, Bernie decided, was war. She waited until the coffee was ready then brought her precious cargo upstairs, carefully closing the door behind her.

 

"That cat is trouble!" While Serena enjoyed waking up to Bernie's voice, she was used to more subtle approaches, especially during days off.

 

"What has she done?" Serena was only half awake, and the caffeine Bernie was offering her would be needed for the rest of that conversation.

 

"She tried to tip the mugs to the floor!" Serena laughed, the degree of offence in Bernie's voice was endearing.

 

"Right."

 

"You don't believe me?"

 

"Well I find it hard to believe that a kitten would consciously do that. She was probably investigating, and you were there at the right moment."

 

"You weren't there!"

 

"Well, no, because if I had been the mugs wouldn't have been close to the edge in the first place."

 

Bernie was about to reply but thought better of it, taking advantage of Serena's good mood to drop the subject, and hopefully go back to the plans they had initially made for the weekend.

 

Bernie knew she was seconds from managing to make Serena moan when they heard a distinctive high-pitched 'meow' coming from downstairs.

 

"Ignore her." Serena's groaning made Bernie smile and she resumed what she had started, only to pause again a few seconds later, for the same reason. Their eyes met. Another meow.

 

"I told you that cat was trouble." Bernie mumbled, kissing Serena lightly and giving her her signature 'puppy look'. "I'll go see what she wants." Bernie could tell Serena would need a minute, and there was only so long she could take the intermittent meowing.

 

♥

 

Twinkle was in front of her food and water bowls, tracking Bernie's movement across the room as she approached. Bernie took a quick look, frowned, and decided to put herself at her opponent's level. Twinkle pushed the water dish forward with a small meow. Bernie took a closer look. There was a fly floating in it. Fair enough.

 

She went to change the water, put it back, and waited to see what Twinkle would do. The kitten inspected it closely before heading back to the couch. Bernie let out a loud sigh before heading back upstairs, the look on Serena's face as she closed the door enough of a promise that she'd forget the feline shenanigans.

 

It was another hour before they got downstairs to get breakfast. Twinkle leapt from the counter, on which she wasn't supposed to be, to greet Serena, blatantly ignoring Bernie. Serena bent down to reach for her but she sprinted to the couch and hid there.

 

"Looks like she's as communicative as you." Serena's teasing made Bernie roll her eyes and pout. "You're cuter though." Just as Serena was about to kiss her, Bernie heard a small meow coming from the couch and  beamed.

 

Serena shook her head, amused, and went back to pouring orange juice. There was something about having Bernie and her now sworn enemy in the same space. The way the two were interacting was unbearably cute, and Serena was determined to have the two kiss and make up by the time Elinor came to collect their fuzzy guest.

 

♥

 

They had meant to go grocery shopping later but had long since learned that going together was a bad idea. They both had long ingrained habits that tended to clash, and it took them twice as long if they went together. Serena usually volunteered, if only because she was more used to Jason's habits, but Bernie hadn't been too keen on being left alone with Twinkle and had offered to go.

 

With Bernie gone, Serena approached the couch gently, sitting carefully, thrilled to see the kitten look up and yawn in her direction. She reached out gently and managed to coax her closer. The hem of her shirt seemed to amuse her greatly, reminding her once again of Bernie. At least she knew her bra was safe with Twinkle.

 

By the time Bernie came back, Serena had abandoned all pretence of attempting to work and was keeping the kitten entertained with the laser pointer she kept in her laptop sleeve. She heard Bernie stop by the door and turned around to find her taking a picture with her phone. Given Bernie's talents with technology she didn't expect it to weigh much in terms of blackmail material.

 

The kitten came to investigate the grocery bags, looking up at Bernie expectantly.

 

"Nothing for you in there, little lady."

 

Serena knew her words were falling on very cute, but still deaf ears. Elinor had brought everything they needed. Twinkle still had her hopes up, attempting to climb her way into the half open bag of string beans.

 

Serena stepped closer, gently lifting her up and away from the vegetables before putting her back down out of the way. Twinkle chirped, offended, before heading for her food. She’d have to find a stealthier way to steal one of the green things, or just chew something, for good measure.

 

♥

 

After the nap incident a few hours later Twinkle had steered clear of the tallest human of the household. She came to investigate when Serena cooked before losing interest and going to stare at a pretty butterfly out the window. Well, Serena thought it was the butterfly she was staring at, seemingly trying to catch it through the glass. She wasn’t very successful.

 

Serena’s own eyes were on Bernie who was shooting wary looks at the kitten while rubbing her collarbones. She was fine, nothing but tiny marks to remind her of the earlier entanglement, but Serena wasn't the only one who knew how to hold a grudge.

 

"How about you come help me rather than plot her demise?" Serena's voice made Bernie jump, then pout.

 

"But I was reading!" The Wolfe-puppy look didn't work this time.

 

"You're holding that book upside down." Bernie looked down and had to admit defeat.

 

"What can I do to help?" Bernie had snaked her arms around Serena who sighed. She was about to say something when Bernie kissed her neck. She momentarily stopped stirring.

 

She heard thunder rumbling before cats, dogs, and half a herd of cows started raining down. Then she heard a small whine. Bernie turned around, and found Twinkle balled up against the window, which was a terrible idea if you were scared of thunder.

 

Bernie stepped closer, trying to get the kitten to move only to be met with a flurry of furry fury. With her hands and wrists now matching a colour-blind zebra, she sat down and waited. Twinkle froze when the thunder started again, changing tactics and climbing on Bernie's lap, clearly hoping that she could help her defeat the shaking earth. Or, for lack of that, be her warm pillow again.

 

Bernie got up, gathering Twinkle in her arms under Serena's amused gaze.

 

"Reassuring a scared child I can do. What do I do with a kitten?" Said kitten was now rubbing herself against Bernie's jaw and kneading the collar of her jumper.

 

"She's warming up to you." Serena was, once again, the voice of reason. Bernie looked down to be met with eyes that were daring her not to find her adorable.

 

Serena stepped closer, abandoning her cooking for a second to try and pet the scared kitten. She leaned away and into Bernie who beamed at Serena.

 

"Congratulations, you made a new friend. I'll help you sort out your hands once I'm done with this."

 

"I can take care of myself!"

 

"Well, it's always nice to have a bit of help, isn't it?" Serena's flirting would have been a lot more welcome if it hadn't come with Twinkle attempting to nibble Bernie's fingers.

 

"I'll try and calm her down a bit." Bernie turned so that Serena was out of reach of any feline weaponry and left a kiss on her cheek.

 

♥

 

A little while later, Serena found Bernie half lying down on the couch, petting a purring Twinkle who had settled against her. Bernie was singing something, a tune Serena couldn't recognise, which wasn't too surprising, given how off-key Bernie was known to sing. The lyrics put her on the right track.

 

"Twinkle twinkle little star."

 

Serena felt herself melt. The kitten was black as night, it was Bernie who was shining brightly, lighting up her world in the most unexpected ways.

 

She hesitated, not sure which side she should join. She went for Bernie's, feeling her lean against her without tearing her eyes off the kitten. She ran out of lyrics and just hummed another verse, the song now fully unrecognisable. Twinkle didn't seem to mind. Serena didn't either.

 

She couldn't say who dozed off first, but when she woke up Twinkle was gone and Bernie was looking at her like she was a star herself. They were about to kiss when they heard a chirp from across the room. They shared a look. That kitten really was trouble…


End file.
